The number of permits issued by the Department of Enterprise to workers in the agri-food sector from non-EU countries in 2022 to date has reached two and a half times the average number issued in pre-pandemic years, with this number likely to rise further over the remainder of the year.

Some 3,354 permits had been issued from the beginning of the year up to the last week of June to non-EU nationals for entering the country to work in the agri-food sector, figures released by the Department of Enterprise to the Irish Farmers Journal show.

About 60% of these permits were issued to meat plant operatives and a further 10% were for workers to be employed in deboning or butchering jobs.

The figures also suggest a growing need for fruit and vegetable growers to source labour outside of the EU, as there are almost five times as many horticulture sector permits granted so far this year in comparison to the average number in the four years previous.

Every job classification listed by the Department for the agri-food sector shows a higher number of permits issued in the first half of this year when compared with the entirety of any other year since 2018.

The Irish Farmers Journal also understands that delays which had been seen in the processing of employment permits at the start of the year have now been overcome.